Bolivian tin production increases despite Huanuni losses.

Bolivia’s refined tin production from January to September 2015 totalled 11,500 tonnes, up 1.3% year-on-year, despite financial problems in the country’s tin mining sector, according to local news sources. Whilst the Colquiri tin-zinc mine and Vinto...

Bolivian tin deal announced

Bolivian President Evo Morales has announced the agreement of a US $106 million deal between the state mining company Comibol and ThyssenKrupp of Germany to supply 13,200 tonnes of tin over two years from 2016. He was speaking at a televised news conference on...

Colquiri seeks investment after fall in profits

The Bolivian, state-owned, Colquiri Mining Company generated reduced profits of just over US$ 5 million in the first 8 months of 2015, as a result of the falling tin price, according to local news sources. The executive secretary of the mine workers union at Colquiri,...

Vinto records high profits as Ausmelt testing continues

Bolivian tin smelter, Vinto Metallurgical Company (EMV), announced profits of US$ 3.5 million in the first half of 2015 and also outlined progress on testing of its new Ausmelt furnace, local sources report. The first half revenues were reported on Tuesday by EMV...

Huanuni reports first half deficit of US$ 8 million

The Bolivian state-run tin mine, Huanuni, has reported an operational deficit of US$ 8 million for the first half of 2015 due to high labour costs and the low tin price, despite a cost cutting drive following poor financial performance at the beginning of the year,...

Colquiri mine dispute continues

Tension remains high between the state owned Colquiri Mining Company (EMC) and local mining cooperatives regarding a disagreement over access rights to particular mining levels of the Colquiri tin and zinc mine in La Paz, Bolivia, as reported by local newspaper, La...

Vinto expansion officially inaugurated

Bolivian President Evo Morales was present at the official opening ceremony for the new Ausmelt furnace operated by Empresa Metalúrgica Vinto (EMV) last Thursday, 5 February. The Ausmelt furnace, delayed by technical problems since last year, will enable the smelter...

Huanuni ore processing plant nearly complete

Construction of the new 3,000 tpd ore processing plant at Bolivia’s largest tin mine is almost finished, local sources have told ITRI, although commissioning has not started. The facility at Comibol’s Huanuni mine has been built by the Chinese contractor...

Victory Mines acquires South American Tin

Victory Mines Limited shareholders have approved the acquisition of South American Tin Limited (SAT) via a share exchange deal which will be finalised in the coming weeks. SAT has 80% ownership of 8 early-stage Bolivian tin projects via its local subsidiary, which is...

Bolivian state tin operations face financial problems

Recent local press reports in Bolivia have identified various suggested solutions to the financial problems faced by the Vinto smelter and Huanuni mine. These include a merger of the two separately managed units, more government subsidies to both operations, the...